Summer is a wonderful time of year. The days are long and warm, school lets out for a few months, and the whole world is vibrant and alive! Summer weather makes many different things possible. Here’s how to make the most of your summer!
Start a new project
Summer is a great season for starting new projects. It’s so much easier to spend longer periods of time outside. No matter what your hobbies and passions are, now is as good a time as any to get started! Paint your house, plant a garden, refurbish an old car, start a compost heap, the options are nearly endless!
Go stargazing
In North America, many of the most stunning celestial events occur in the fall and winter, but there is still a lot of good star gazing to do during the summer months. This year, July 27th is going to be an amazing day for observing the night sky! Mars will be at its brightest all year and there will also be a full lunar eclipse. You won’t want to miss it!
Learn a new skill
For many, summer represents a little bit of freedom from school! But still, summer is a great time to learn a new skill, a new language, or a new subject matter entirely. Even if you aren’t a student anymore, being a lifelong learner is a fun and enriching way of life. With a lot of practice, many new skills can be perfected in just a few months. By winter, you could be playing a new sport, speaking a new language, or an expert on a new subject!
Go for a hike
Hiking is truly an activity for everyone. You don’t need expensive equipment, you don’t need to be physically fit, and many hiking trails can even accommodate physical challenges and disabilities. There are countless physical and mental health benefits to hiking and no matter where it is you live, there are likely plenty of places to get outside and experience nature. If you wake up one summer morning and don’t know what to do with your day, take a hike!
Keep a photo journal
Every summer is a little bit different, and taking pictures is one of the most fun ways to capture our summers. There are many different ways to keep a photo journal. You can purchase a photo album and keep physical copies of your photos, or you can create a social media account on a platform like Tumblr or Instagram to share the photographs you take over the summer!
Check out the photographers we promote on @tentree to get some awesome photo-taking inspiration!
Go camping
To us, summer doesn’t feel like summer without a few good camping trips! Camping is such a fun way to get out of the city and relax in nature for a few days. There are countless campsites with access to hiking trails, hot springs, swimming holes, and more! Of course, as with any outdoor activity, it’s important to be a conscious camper. Check out our blog on 10 ways to be a conscious camper this summer!
Try tech-free challenges
According to a recent study conducted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Americans spend 93% of their lives indoors! That number is probably similar in other industrialized countries around the world too. Part of the reason we’re indoors so much is because of all of the computers and gadgets we use. This summer, try challenging yourself to take a break from your screen! Your challenge could be as small as instituting a ‘no phones at the dinner table’ rule or something more rigorous, like a week without television. It’s up to you!
Plan an epic road trip
Summer is one of the best times of the year for a road trip. Roads are much less likely to be hazardous due to cold, snowy weather and many parks and highways that close for the winter are back open. Grab a few friends and plan a road trip to explore someplace new!
Be a tourist in your own city
Visiting different countries and exploring new cities is an unforgettable experience, but our familiarity with our home turf sometimes means that we miss a lot of really cool local spots. This summer, consider being a tourist in your own city! Check out small-scale museums, different parks, new restaurants and other holes-in-the-wall that you may have never even thought to visit!
Plant a tree
The shade of a tree on a hot summer day is one of life’s greatest joys, but that tree is only there because someone, or something, helped it get its start. If you have room to plant a tree at your home, consider planting one! Most cities and towns have urban tree planting initiatives you can support too. You may never get a chance to sit in the shade of the trees you plant, but others will, and they’ll be thankful for it!
